UBC must undergo major restructuring – Mwesige report

A seven member committee tasked with investigating national broadcaster Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) on Tuesday released its report blaming the station and government for the body’s financial woes.

The UBC Review Committee report indicates that the corporation is chronically underfunded, lacks editorial independence and its management is poorly structured.

Releasing the report at the ICT Building in Kampala, committee chairperson Dr. Peter Mwesige said that there is need for government to make amendments to the UBC Act to, among other things, address the issue of the independence of the institution.

“There is need for more players from both government and the general public to be involved in the monitoring of the institution to make it more appealing and accountable,” said Mwesige.

On his part, Minister for ICT and National Guidance Frank Tumwebaze, who received the report on behalf of government, said cabinet agreed to put an initial upgrade fund to boost UBC and urged the current UBC Board and staff to be positive about any potential restructuring exercise that is likely to take place.

The UBC review committee made a number of recommendations including a change in the management, amendment of the UBC Act, and the creation of a new financing mechanism to run the public broadcaster in a sustainable manner.